1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a household stand for holding conventional plastic grocery store bags, to facilitate the separation of recyclable waste products such as plastic bottles, aluminum foil, tin cans, newspapers, dead plants and the like. The economical stand can be made of medium density fiberboard or recycled plastic. The stands can hold 3 to 12 bags in different configurations and different floor bases.
2. Description of Related Art
The related art of interest describes various bag holding stands as varied in structure as folding, rotary, boxed, and ring-shaped. There is a need for a sturdy upright stand with coordinated arms for keeping the collection bags open for use for separate recyclable materials. The related art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,186 issued on Aug. 3, 1993, to Richard Z. Corkery describes a multiple garbage bag holder frame adapted to fit inside a garbage container (blue box) or be free-standing. The bag holding elements are 12 H-shaped upright members positioned in two rows of 6 each on top of two parallel horizontal rods Which are connected to two U-shaped supports to form a square frame. Two other cross member rods complete the frame structure. Each garbage bag is strung from four H-shaped upright members with two sides of the bag on parallel pairs of upright members for a holding capacity of five recycling bags. This garbage bag holder is distingtuishable as a structure to fit inside a garbage container, and there is no disclosure of a free standing structure with extended feet as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,724 issued on Oct. 8, 1991, to Mabel C. Hutcheson describes an open box container for supporting a single limp plastic bag in an upright, four cornered configuration. Four embodiments of the holder portions comprise a pair of ears open at the corners (FIGS. 1, 4, 5, and 7) or only a pair of ears at each side (FIG. 6). The container can be made of either plastic, resin, wood or metal. The container is distinguishable because of its box structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,743 issued on Feb. 9, 1988, to Jeffrey C. Jenkins describes an open metal rod framed rack for holding open one either paper or plastic grocery bag. The front portion of the frame is partially open in the center. The rear portion has an extended subrack for storing folded bags. Each side portion has a bag holder portion consisting of two inverted U-shaped elements as part of a U-shaped larger structure. The rack is distinguishable for its box structure and limited bag captacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,984 issued on Apr. 7, 1992, to Lu Ann W. Shaw describes a recycling trash bag rack with parallel front and rear sides which are each made from four vertical pipes and three horizontal pipes joined at the top with elbows. Seven intermediate flat webs with a pair of upright ribs across the top join the front and rear side frames and hold the loops of the bags. Each bag has inclined lettering to identify the type of trash to be recycled. The rack is distinguishable for its singular row of bags.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,703 issued on Jul. 23, 1991, to Johnny G. Allen, Sr. describes cantilevered ring assemblies for supporting four refuse bags and staked in the ground, in one embodiment. Secondary inner rings hold the bags. Other modifications include hanging a bag on either a doorknob or a longitudinal fixture, or free standing on a circular frame. The ring assemblies are distinguishable for their different circular structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,102 issued on Nov. 7, 1995, to Wayne LeBlanc et al. describes a foldable cardboard apparatus for transporting up to six filled plastic grocery bags. Three posts are provided on top of the central upright portion for hanging the filled grocery bags. Two bottom flaps support the loaded bags. The cardboard apparatus is distinguishable for its T-shaped folding structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,499 issued on Jul. 21, 1992, to Bruce E. Hoar describes a rotary device delineated into circumferentially spaced compartments for successively storing plastic bags with handles hooks for a retail store checkout station. The device is distinguishable for its rotary compartmentalized design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,252 issued on Mar. 2, 1993, to Lawrence A. Schrager describes a refuse bag support system for recycling materials. A first embodiment comprises a plastic tub with a series of metal arms with channel locking elements pivoting from an axial post to hold a plurality of bags. The post can be eliminated with flexible holding arms to nest empty bags and one open bag. Another embodiment utilizes a two-section box which can be expanded. Each pair of arms on top of the expandable box can be moved to adjust the opening of the bags. The bag holding devices are distinguishable for the different structures of the tub and box systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,406 issued on Sep. 16, 1975, to Brentwood A. Cruse describes a boxed wire support stand on four legs for supporting a plastic or paper flexible bag. The wire frame can be adjusted in size. The bag support stand is distinguishable for its single bag capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,101 issued on Dec. 8, 1992, to Richard Wenzel et al. describes a boxed rack frame for collecting recyclable materials in an open bag and including an apertured cover with an upright message board. The boxed frame for a single bag is distinguishable from the multiple bag stand of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,051 issued on Jun. 17, 1997, to Donald Surbeck describes a trash bag holding device comprising a 5.degree. canted base with two hooks for hanging a plastic grocery bag with looped handles on a cabinet door. The device is distinguishable for its singular bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,823 issued on May 7, 1996, to Jeremiah J. Bresnahan describes a plastic bag holder for bags with integral loop handles. An elongated mounting panel supports inverted U-shaped pivotable planar arms at end in mounting ears. An arm is formed with two bights for supporting a loop of the plastic bag. The bag holder is distinguishable for its wall mounting and two pivotable arms.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the present invention as claimed.